Flooding The Fields for Our Fowl Friends

Mississippi Delta farmers often use managed flooding to raise water levels in their fields in the winter to attract ducks. But now, ARS researchers are finding that adjustments to the timing of those floods may provide added benefits. By starting the process slightly earlier in the year — in September, rather than November or December — the farmers can create critical habitat for migratory shore birds, which can use the flooded fields as a stop on their path south. The researchers are also exploring whether the earlier flooding could provide farmers with benefits like improved soil health, creating a potential win-win for them and their avian visitors. Read Flooding Fields May Be a Win-Win For Farmers and Birds in the Mississippi Delta to learn more.